Canon PowerShot TX1 7.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.3 x 2.5 inches ; 8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000NK6DZI
• Item model number: 1265B001
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,745 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

Manufacturer Description

With the PowerShot TX1, Canon takes a futuristic wish-list and makes it a reality. This is an Elph-sized camera with a whopping 10x optical zoom, that not only captures 7.1-megapixel images, but HD movies, too! The stylish vertical design in stainless steel houses plenty of premium advancements, including Image Stabilizer Technology, DIGIC III Image Processor, Face Detection Technology and automatic Red-eye Correction. And because you’ll want to take this compact wonder everywhere, it’s equipped with a built-in lens cover and tough new scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating on the LCD screen.

PowerShot TX-1 Highlights

DIGIC III Image Processor With DIGIC III, you get images of superior quality, the camera functions at top efficiency and battery life is significantly enhanced. What’s more, DIGIC III enables Canon’s newly improved Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction to give you better, more true-to-life people shots. Simply press the Shutter Button halfway down, the PowerShot TX1 automatically pinpoints the faces in the scene and chooses the ideal focus point. To keep every face looking bright and natural -- without scary red eyes -- the camera controls exposure settings and flash, so every shot is just what you were shooting for.

DIGIC III features Face Detection AF/AE, which finds multiple faces in the frame and sets the most suitable focus point, when the shutter button is pressed halfway. And an additional new feature, Face Detection FE adjusts the flash, based on a person’s face on the screen. Exposure and flash are controlled to ensure proper illumination of both the faces and the overall scene, eliminating the common problem of darkened or overexposed faces.

Red-eye Correction detects and automatically corrects red-eye during playback for both regular and flash photography. In unusual cases where red-eye is not automatically detected, it can easily be corrected manually during playback mode from the LCD screen.

iSAPS Technology is an entirely original scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the fast DIGIC III Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

Full movie capabilities The PowerShot TX1 is a powerful, highly-advanced tool for recording movies. You’ll experience the unprecedented HD clarity of 720P recording at 30 fps. The camera’s Face Detection AF feature for still images is also available in movie mode: faces are detected and properly focused for a measurable improvement in movie quality. Sound is recorded in stereo, and 1080i component video playback is available for a true HD experience.

1.8-inch vari-angle, wide-view LCD Pull out the wide-view LCD and turn as needed to get just the right angle for your images and movies. The screen’s highly durable new coating resists scratches and fingerprints and is easy to wipe clean. New anti-reflective coating keeps the picture clear and visible even in bright sunlight.

ISO 1600 with ISO Auto Shift The PowerShot TX1 features ISO 1600 with ISO Auto Shift that increases the ISO sensitivity to where camera shake does not occur. Then camera shake can prevented and the ISO speed setting changes each time, automatically.

Elegant all-metal construction with built-in lens cap When you own a camera as compact as the TX1, you’ll want to take it everywhere. This camera is up tothe challenge with high-grade all-metal construction.The built-in ens cap opens when the camera is turned on and closes when the camera is turned off -- no worrying about scratches and smudges.

Shooting modes With 14 Shooting modes, including 7 Special Scene modes, you’re ready for whatever shot comes your way.

• Auto The camera chooses all the settings so you can concentrate on your subject.
• Manual The ultimate in creative control, you set ISO speed, exposure compensation and white balance.
• Color Accent Choose to retain a single color in your image while other colors turn monochrome.
• Color Swap Select a color and replace it with a color you specify for special effects.
• Super Macro Close to almost touching distance to capture the subject detail.
• Stitch Assist Build awe-inspiring panoramas by neatly aligning sequential images.
• Movie Shoot in 720P HD (30 fps/30 fps LF), VGA (30 fps/30 fps LP), or QVGA (60 fps/30 fps).

Special Scene Modes

• Portrait The camera sets a large aperture, focusing the subject and artistically blurring the background to make your subject "pop."
• Foliage Capture brilliant shots of autumn foliage, greenery and blossoms.
• Snow Shoot clear snow scenes without darkened subjects or an unnatural bluish tint.
• Beach Get clear shots of people at a sunny beach without darkened faces.
• Aquarium Achieve proper flash-free exposure and natural hues at indoor aquariums.
• Indoor Reduce blur and improve color accuracy when shooting handheld indoors.
• Night Snapshot Get natural-looking pictures with brighter backgrounds and subjects lit by flash.

The complete print solution The PowerShot TX1's Print/Share button makes direct printing easier than ever. Simply connect the TX1 to a Canon CP, Selphy or PIXMA Photo Printer or any PictBridge compatible photo printer, press the lighted Print/Share button and print! Also use the Print/Share button to transfer images to a computer (Windows and Macintosh).

Print your own ID photos in 28 different sizes or use the Movie Print function to output multiple stills from a recorded movie on a single sheet with a Canon Selphy Compact Photo Printer.

For desktop large-format printing, try one of the Direct Photo Printers that allow you to print without a computer in one of two ways: plug your compatible PowerShot camera into the Direct Photo Printer using the supplied USB interface cable, or simply insert a memory card into the supplied adapter. You can also connect the printer to your computer for more options. Print high-resolution, borderless images as postcards or 8.5 x 11-inch sheets within minutes.

Compact Photo Printers let you produce versatile, fun 4 x 6-inch postcards, 4 x 8-inch wide greeting cards or credit card size prints in just two easy steps: connect and press/print. Control the printer right from your camera's LCD screen. You get durable, dye-sublimated prints quickly with or without borders. Assortedpaper types let you create mini or credit card size labels. You can even take select Compact Photo Printers to a party or an outdoor picnic using an optional rechargeable battery.

Product Description

With the PowerShot TX1, Canon takes a futuristic wish-list and makes it a reality. This is an ELPH-sized camera with a whopping 10x optical zoom that not only captures 7.1 megapixel images, but HD movies, too! The stylish vertical design in stainless steel houses plenty of premium advancements including Optical Image Stabilizer Technology, DIGIC III Image Processor, Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction. And because you'll want to take this compact wonder everywhere, it's equipped with a built-in lens cover and tough new scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating on the LCD screen.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

127 of 129 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Blend of Still Pix, Video, and Compact Size, July 14, 2007

By	J. Weber - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

After testing the Canon TX-1, this has been my experience:

PHOTO QUALITY: Excellent. Canon wisely uses in-camera noise reduction (blurring) lightly and preserves sharp detail. On close magnification, single pixel detail is present, which the Panasonic DMC-TZ3 that I compared blurred details into a gradient. Color saturation and contrast are excellent. Focus is fast and accurate. Overall, superb qualtiy still pictures.

VIDEO QUALITY: Very good. Quality is roughly midway between DV and a dedicated HD camcorder. Though criticized by some for their large file sizes, Canon's Motion JPEG compression codec yield video that is of excellent contrast, and good color saturation. I took video samples and re-compressed them using Canon's codec (included with their camera's software) and other codecs including MPEG2, QuickTime, and multiple other codecs from Adobe Premiere, and found that the Canon motion-JPEG, though theoretically not as efficient a compression scheme, ended up with the best quality video, while other codecs of similar file size were more washed out. Another advantage of this compression scheme is that you can get good quality frame captures, as each frame is compressed individually. It's not perfect: unlike my dedicated HD camcorder, the TX-1's video has a vague "shimmering" effect, from the JPEG compression varying from frame to frame. Also, with moving objects, the motion isn't quite as fluid with as with my dedicated HD camcorder. But for a combination still/video platform, the video of the TX-1 is remarkably good. File sizes are large, but they will be with any high quality video.

ERGONOMICS: In my medium to small hands, the camera is easy to hold. Some reviewers complained that they needed to use their left hand to stabilize the camera, but I always hold cameras with two hands. This one can be held with one, but any camera will yield less blurry pictures if held with two hands. If you have large fingers, you may find this camera too small.

CONVENIENCE: The LCD folds into the camera, and there is no optical viewfinder, so when the camera is closed, there is no vulnerable glass to scratch up on any side. And it is so tiny that you can throw it in a pocket or bag or purse and pull it out for an unexpected spontaneous shot.

FLASH: I was worried that the flash would be too under-powered. It is a weak flash. Unexpectedly, this turned out to be a good thing. I've noticed with past cameras that indoor flash pictures screamed "FLASH!" and were bright with a thin dark shadow next to foreground objects from the flash. This weaker flash ironically ends up making more natural shots as it doesn't saturate the shot and some existing light adds to make a more pleasing picture. The flash is too weak to brightly light up a large dim room that you are shooting from a long distance, or if you zoom in under dim conditions.

ZOOM: 10X zoom is really powerful; I can zoom in a lot more than I expected. The excellent image stabilization allows these zoomed in shots to not be blurred from camera motion.

LOW LIGHT: Like virtually all compact cameras today, the tiny CCD does not perform well in very low light shots without flash. The TX-1 is no exception. Fuji cameras are known for better performance in low light, but currently don't have optical image stabilization. The image stabilization in the TX-1 (and other cameras with this feature) help a lot because you can use much longer shutter speeds and make up for the small CCD.

PLAYBACK: It has been fun for me to plug the camera into my widescreen TV and watch the photos and video in a combined slide show. That format is fun for the family and allows everyone to enjoy the memories without having to sit by a computer monitor or wait for prints.

PROBLEMS: The only thing I've not enjoyed is that the small LCD makes it harder to see detail in composing a shot, especially in bright sunlight.

OVERALL: The TX-1 produces excellent quality still pictures, very good 720p video, is tiny, not easily scratched, has a huge zoom, great image stabilization, and will end up being something you will want to toss into a pocket or bag and capture a spontaneous, memorable moment. It is a rare camera that can record both stills and video without one of them being useless. I'm very happy with it. I hope you enjoy whatever you decide on too!

92 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Do not buy it for its camera features, but for its HD video capability..., May 7, 2007

By	M. E. Balzer "What is Reality?" (Morro Bay, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Do not buy this camera if you are looking for either a great camera or camcorder, buy it as the best micro image recording device available.

As you will find in other reviews, the camera portion is average. What makes this camera stand out is the fact that it will do 1280 X 720, 30 frames PROGRESSIVE! This is simply amazing since this camera is no larger than a box of cigarettes. It is not perfect though. There are few manual controls, e.g. no shutter rate or ISO control, however you do have control over locking ASE and Focus, as well as white balance. Some reviewers have complained about ergonomics, but a small monopod or makeshift grip that attaches to the tripod mount will do the trick. I personally would have preferred a REC button in front of the camera. If I could also make a couple of wishes, I would also ask for an external 1/8" stereo external microphone connector, as well as LANC control that could be used for zoom, focus, record/pause and stop. Finally, low light levels are very noisy.

There are also concerns about battery power. I have been able to go an hour without a charge. Again, it is suggested to buy an extra battery. If you really need to have this camera running continuously, buy the external power adapter. If you need more remote power, buy one of those extra lithium ion external power packs that has an output of 3.5 volts and retrofit a coaxial plug to fit the external power adapter.

Some reviewers are complaining about Canon using the Motion JPEG file format for video. True it is not the best compression format for making small files, but the quality is better than most MPEG 4 or even MPEG 2 file formats. Plus, you get frame by frame editing. To make up for the poor compression, just buy a larger card.

There are also some questions if this camera can support more than a four gigabyte SD card. Yes, but it will need to be a fast SDHC card. This poses its own problems because it is not backwards compatible with SD card readers so you will not be able to use it with any card reader unless it specifically says it is compatible with SDHC. This is not too great of a problem since the camera uses a standard mini USB female connector and XP, Vista, OS X recognize it without additional software.

In my opinion, this has been my answer to a stealth high definition documentary camera. I will find many uses for this camera in the upcoming months. Look for my documentary "Gamer: The chronicles of Evanor" [...] to be released at the end of the year. It will contain footage from this camera.

I gave it a four out of five stars for not adding an external microphone adapter, LANC control, and a few more manual controls. This would have garnered a perfect score from me. I hope Canon is listening.

64 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for me, June 12, 2007

By	P. Yoon "race fan" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The TX1 is exactly what I'm looking for. In order of importance, I was looking for something (1) small that (2) takes good/excellent video on (3) flash memory that will (4) work with my Mac and (5) can replace my point-and-shoot camera. I'm not particularly fond of taking video so I didn't want to buy a camcorder that only took video and was large, or at least larger than the TX1. However, for those times that I do want to take video, this is perfect, and the picture quality, imo, is great. I can have it with me all the time because it's small. It's not as small as some cameras, but what do you expect for all that it does? This is cheaper than Panasonic and Sanyo equivalent camcorders, the small ones also with pistol grip.
Those hoping for video quality on par with an HD camcorder are looking in the wrong place.
Personally, I think the videos and still shots are fine for this type of device. The clips and photos I take with the TX1 aren't being broadcast, and they're not going in magazines. So for what I need, it's perfect. Actually, the video quality is better than my (older) MiniDV camcorder. And the truth is, I never use that older DV camcorder anymore. With my old camcorder I didn't like watching unedited clips from the machine itself, so I had to tranfer them to my computer, which was cumbersome. The clips from the TX1, while large, transfer via USB, so that's faster than the DV transfer. And like I mentioned, better picture quality. I've already used the TX1 more in the past 14 days than I have used my DV camera in the past two years. When I want to "serious" pictures I haul my D200 and lenses. If you want to take "serious" video, buy something dedicated, which will be more expensive.
As for photo quality, I have not printed anything, but viewing it on my computer, the pictures seem on par with other point-and-shoot shots. There is fuzziness and focus searching in low light conditions, but that's what I've come to expect with point-and-shoots; they're inherently limited machines.
One last thing, you can zoom while shooting video in the highest quality; you can zoom in any video setting for that matter.